This volume is designed to provide an introduction to Italian law and the legal system of Italy. It is not intended to be a detailed exposition of the rules of Italian law, or a comprehensive history of that system. The text is rather meant to give its readers sufficient information regarding the influences which have shaped and which continue to shape Italian legal development, together with a broad overview of the main areas and features of modern Italian law, to allow them to progress with confidence to literature which takes that context for granted.